Michael j



(No Model.) t

M. J. OSULLIVAN. FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

Nb. 513,526. Patented Jan. 30, 1894;.

In lcel MMHHIHII 'l iri h: enx 0 c vw fll imm jM mM/*@ [i .fkumcuay.

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Y.

UNITED "STATES MICHAEL J. O SULLIVAN, OF

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS JANNEY, JR, & O0.

FlRE-ALA RM-TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,526, dated January30, 1894.

Application filed June 7, 1893. Serial No. 476,826. (No model.)

To all whom it m/try concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL J. OSULLIVAN, acitizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Fire- Alarm-Telegraph Systems, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire alarm telegraph systemswherein a number of sub-stations are in circuit with a principalstation, and a signal being turned in at one of the sub-stations will berecorded at the principal station and the relay bell at the substationwill repeat the signal as turned in at the principal station. The relaybell at the sub-station is not in circuit except when a signal is turnedin from the sub-station, in which case the relay bell is throwninautomatically and will repeat the signal as turned in at the principalstation. After the alarm has been sent in to the principal station andthe circuit breaking wheel is returned to its normal po sition theground is thrown out to so remain until another signal is turned in.

In the drawing the principal station and one of the boxes which form thesub-stations is shown with the cover of the box off, exposing themechanism within the box.

Referring to the drawing the letter, A, in-

dicates the box or casing in which the signal mechanism is contained.

B, indicates the circuit breaking wheel which is located on a pivot, a,running transversely through the casing, A. A gear-wheel, O, is alsolocated on pivot, a, and the circuitbreaking wheel, B, is rigid withrespect to the rotation of the gear-wheel, C. A pinion, D, meshes withgear-wheel, O, and a crank, 61, and handle, (1, are attached to thepinion for operating the same and thus indirectly to operate thegear-wheel, C, and circuit-breaking wheel, B. The gear-wheel and pinionare employedin order that the circuit-breaking wheel may not be sorapidly rotated as to make the separate strokes of the signal asreceived at the principal station undistinguishable as might be the casewere the handle attached directly to the circuit=breaking wheel, B.

The principal station, T, as shown comprises the relays, t, and, t, thewires, 1), '2), leading from the relays to the battery, and

secured therein by means of set-screwed.

The guide-piece, F, has recesses and carbon contacts, h h correspondingto those in the cross-arms, e, and in the depressed condition of thesliding contact-bar the carbon contacts, h, 72. and, h, h arerespectively in contact.

A spiral spring, J, coiled around the contact-- bar abuts at one endagainst the collar, j, secured on-the said bar and at the other againstthe bushing, k, of insulating material forming the guide through whichthe bar, E, passes and insulating it from the guide-piece, F.

It will be seen that the tendency of the spring, J, is to depress thesliding rod. One of the main line circuit wires, E, passes from therelay, t, at the'principal station and is attached to the binding post,m, on the casing, A, and passes from there to the sliding contact-bar,to which it is attached by means of the set-screw, Z. The other mainline wire passes from the relay, t', at the principal station and entersthe casing through the binding post, m, and is attached directly orindirectly to the circuit-breaking wheel, B. If the current be travelingin the direction indicated by the darn-the main line circuit willcomprise the main line wire, L, the sliding contact bar, E, thecircuit-breaking wheel, B; the return main line wire, L, and theprincipal station, T.

Fuse wires, N, are placed in the main line wires on either side of thesub-station in order that should an excessive current be passed over thesaid wires the fuse wires will be melted and break the circuit and thusprevent the principal station from being burned out.

The ground wire, 0, from the sub-station is attached at one end to theguide piece, F, and

the other is grounded. The electro-magnet, P, is locatedin said groundlineand is adapted to operate the clapper, R, to repeat upon the bell,S, the signal as transmitted from the sub-station to the principalstation. N ormally the sliding contact rod is in the position shown inthe drawing in which the carbon contacts, h, M, are not in an engagedposition.

The circuit is normally through the main line wires, the ground beingout of circuit, and the relay bell, S, does not operate except when theground is in circuit.

When in transmitting a signal, the circuit is broken, the ground isautomatically thrown in, through the Wire, 0. It the contact-wheel, B,be turning to transmita signal and thefoot, e, of the. contact-bar beinadepressed position between two of the contactpoints, b,- -upon thefoot-piece first contacting with one of the contact-points t-hegroundwire, 0, will ground the-entire main line circuitand the bell, S,willsound, but the entire current will not flow-through the ground becausethe ground is a poorer conductorthan the main-line wires; but if one ofthe mainline wires be broken, the current will complete its-circuitthrough the ground line, 0,.

a safety means, whereby, even if one of the main li ne wires be broken,the system will still be in an operative condition. For example if themain-line wire, L, be broken,- when the contact-bar is in adepressedposition and the carbon-contact points .are engaged, thecircuit willcomprise the main-line wi-r.e,; L, the sliding contact rod,.E, thecrossarrns, e, the support, F, the ground .wire,-O, the ground and theground wire, 16, at the principal station.

Exceptwhen an alarm is being turned .in, the ground by wire, 0, isnot incircuiteven when one of the main-line wires is broken, because thecarbon contacts which cut the ground in or .out, are only in contactwhen the sliding contact-bar is in .azdepressed position, and hence thebell, S, will only be sounded-when the contact-bar is so depressed.

Having described .my invention, I claim-.---

1. In-asignalbox, the combination of the main linecircuit wire, Lconnected'toa circuit-breaking wheel; a sliding contact bar main adapted.to alternately make and break contact with the circuit-breaking-wheel,when the latter is turned; the main-line circuit wire, L, attached tothe sliding contact bar; a guide piece for the said contact bar andhaving contact points; insulation between the contact piece and saidguide piece; a ground wire in electrical connection with said contactpoints; and contact points on the sliding contact-bar, norm-allyseparated from, but adapted to contact with the said contact-points onthe guide piece and thus cut in the ground wire when themain-linecircuit is broken by turning the circuit-breaking wheel, and vice versa,as described' 2. In a device of the class described, the combination ofthe main-line oircuit-wire',"L', connected .to the circuit-breakingwheel; a sliding contact bar adapted to alternately make and break.con-tact with the said circuit-breaking wheel when the .saidwheel isturned; the main line circuit wire, L, .attached to the said contact-para stationary guide-piece for the said sliding contact-bar and havingcontact points; insulation be tween the sliding contact-bar and theguidepiece; a ground wire in electrical connection with saidcontact-points; vanelectricbell .in

the line ofsaid ground wire; and contact points on the slidingcontact-bar, normally separated from, but adapted to contact with thesaidv contact points on the 1 said guide piece and thus out inthe-ground wire, when the main-l-inecircuit isbroken byt-urningthecontact-breaking wheel.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of the main-linecircuittwire, L, connected to the circuit-breaking wheel; a slidingcontact-bar having. crossarms and adapted to alternately .make and breakcontact with the circnit-breakingtwheelwhen-the latter is turned; themain line.circuit.wire,L, attached to thesaid sliding contact-bar;contact-points. on the cross-arms of the contactbar a stationaryguide-piece, F, having-an insulated bushing, 70, through whichthecontact-bar slides; contact points .on the said guide-piece andadapted toialternatelymake .;and break contact with the contact -p0intson the cross-arms of the sliding-bar; and .a ground wire in electricalconnection with the contact points onthecross-arms, as described.

-In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

MICHAEL J. OSULLlV-AN.

Witnesses ABRAM MACAULEY, Gno. MOGAFFRAY.

